r/u The Master – I’ve not met anyone who wasn’t a critic that liked this, but my field limits me to editors and producers, so maybe it will get some love, but who is the constituency in the academy that is going to get this over 5%?

For comparison, almost everyone I asked last year was over the moon for Tree of Life, and a few years ago were ecstactic for There Will Be Blood, The Master is in a very different place in my anecdotal (and useless) experience.

movielock – the difference between The Master and other films that critics love that audiences haven’t warmed to is two words: Harvey Weinstein. I agree with you, I havent’ personally spoken to one person who liked the film – though they usually praise the actors and cinematography.

The Weinstein is not infallible; the films he backs in the Oscar race are often only moderately arthouse. The Weinstein’s oscar successes target upper-class college-educated white cineastes and are always comfortably in the audience-friendly wheelhouse. A film with the sensibilities of the audience-antagonistic The Master has little in common with most of Weinstein’s past successes–and speaking of those past successes, that success depends totally on people liking something enough to vote for it. It is damn hard to find non-critics that like The Master. The Master could easily wind up in the Passion of the Christ or The New World scenario, cinematography, and maybe another bonus technical nomination.

And don’t forget, Weinstein has other horses in this race, he’s not putting all his money on just one beast.

It is worth remembering that the films Weinstein shepherds to nominations are in the vein of Chocolat, not The Master.

If this were fifty years ago, Weinstein would be able to get a film like 400 Blows a BP nomination, but he wouldn’t be able to manage that for a film like Pierrot le Fou. He could get a film like Seven Samurai a BP nomination, but he wouldn’t be able to manage that for a film like Sansho the Bailiff.

Weinstein didn’t bother going for more than the single acting nomination for I’M NOT THERE, which was actually a more likable movie than THE MASTER. THE MASTER could be thrown overboard if it doesn’t get a lot of guilds/critics groups loving it.

The Master will place very high on top ten lists, and once Critics realize how disliked the film is by the industry it will become REALLY beloved. Nothing can burnish a reputation upwards like a snubbing; a snubbing makes critics feel smart and special and elite because only they (of the one-true-faith) truly understand/get it (if you’re not in the cult you just don’t understand).

Oh irony, the rise of the Cult appreciation of the Master in future years will be especially delicious and hilarious because most critics and cineastes will have no idea they’re participating in a cult around the film. Very meta.

And what is the awards season if not breaking the industry and critics into cults of appreciation and cults of personality every year?

It’s very interesting that David uses the word “movie star” to describe Jessica Chastian’s performance here. Others are using the words, dry, feminist, etc…

If David feels like this Jessica could actually win…Against the Whore With a Heart of Gold character Tiffany played by Jennifer Lawrence. The WWAHOG usually wins…It’s a classic Oscar type. But J.Chastain’s character seems to be…something new.